This story was authored by Sylwia Ziemacka, Head of Partnership Foundation, Share the Care Foundation. www.sharethecare.pl
Studies conducted in Poland by the Share the Care Foundation and IQS research agency show that 79% of women and men agree that both sexes are equally good guardians for their children. So why do only 1% of men in Poland use parental leave when the Polish law gives all fathers an opportunity to take paid parental leave?
To explore the topic, to encourage young parents to share parental leave, and to invite employers to think about both parents (not only mothers) when speaking about newborn children, Share the Care Foundation has published an online guide for employers and employees about the benefits and legal aspects of shared parental leave.
50/50 – it pays off for everyone. The role of employers in supporting co-parenting guide is a collection of legal, social, and economic articles, along with practical guidance for employers on how to implement solutions for achieving work-family balance, while respecting the right of both parents to care for the child. The guide is available for download on our website.
Leading up to the launch of the guide, we ran a social media campaign using #teamrodzina, reaching 3.6 million people on social media.
The launch of the report was followed by a cycle of free online debates. We organized six debates with more than 30 experts: economists, psychologists, sociologists, parent-trainers, as well as moms and dads to discuss the impact of shared parental care for families, kids, the quality of parents’ relationships, the economy, society, and business.
The main outcome is that sharing parental leave pays off for everyone. Even if positive results are not seen in the short-term, they become apparent in the long-term (especially positive economic results).
Starting in September 2020, the Foundation will continue to organize online debates to encourage public discussions around the need for both parents to engage in childcare.